If you ever wanted to own an actual physical part of my soul, here's your chance!

Miss Venus here:

Did This:

So in a few minutes I'm gonna go ahead and list her at StudioJuls

along with this~

Because THAT is a much better image

with which to exit a blog post.

~~

(PS. 25% off Sale price still applies until Midnight!  Coupon Code: OREGON)

~~

I'm not sure where Monday went, but Tuesday and Wednesday must have gone looking for it.

It's Thursday, y'all.  Like...already halfway through Thursday.  Which means I only have 4 days and a wake up before I slap my mouth with half a xanax and get on an itty bitty plane for my hop to Atlanta, where I'll keep the other half of that xanax handy in case TSA makes me want to swallow it, too.

It also means there is only 1 day left in my Year End Clearance Sale...to which I added 4 new Mega Blowout listings this morning. 

http://www.studiojuls.com/

These are already super reduced in price, and with the added 25% discount they're practically FREE.

I thought with Lori Anderson's Bead Soup Party sign ups also starting in a few short days it would be neat to offer a few collections.  Ya know... 1 for you...1 for your soup...1 for you.

Math.  It's like sharing.  Only better.

I'm out of time, y'all, and after tomorrow so is the sale.    Thanks for the great response, awesome saucies~ everything thus far is shipping today and all purchases made by midnight tomorrow will ship Saturday.

~~

Can I just say that I love y'all?  Yes, You.  And You.  And especially you standing in the corner over there.  Let's all go to lunch some time.
~

Guess What!?

Remember THESE awesome OOAK coppery hearts?

It was wicked hard to do, but I listed a few of them today anyway

as well as some other hearts and a few crosses.

  

I also finished making the last of the $15 custom order sets

which means every purchase so far will ship tomorrow.

Squee!

Who's rockin' her busy schedule this week?

Mama Is.

That's who.

And tomorrow she might even

make time to brush her hair.

~~

Carbed Out, Amped Up, and Pretty Dang Excited. +End of Year Clearance Sale!

 Mama made Christmas dinner, y'all.  Which means I ate more than 4 people should have...including an extra helping of banana pudding.

Mama:  Let me know what you think of the banana pudding ~ I used a secret ingredient this time.

Me:  Woah!  It is really really good, but I'm not picking up on the secret ingredient.

Bro:  So what is it, mom?

Mom:  Banana.

Me&Bro (sharing a concerned look):  ...

Mama:  EXTRACT.  Banana extract.

~

Christmas Eve was very special and a little bit sad for us this year.  Y'all know my Grandaddy passed in April, leaving my Nana alone in a house big enough to contain my awesomely giant southern family for the holidays where we've had our Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners for longer than I've been alive.  Nana's not been doing well in recent months.  Age is finally starting to get the best of her and she's not really able to be alone.  We have been taking turns staying with her but the time has come to figure out a more permanent solution, and Nana has decided to go live with my Aunt in TN.  I've caught myself crying a few times over the weekend because while I am so very grateful for 40 years of tradition and memories, it is not easy to accept the inevitable end.    It has been a beautiful run, and none of us could have asked for better.

~

The time has also come for me to take a few steps forward myself.  I love Alabama and it will always be home in a certain sense of the word, but it is not where I want to spend the rest of my days.  So on January 3rd I am getting on a plane to go check out another state.  A far away state on pretty much a different planet that has been visiting my dreams for several years.  I'm equal parts nervous and excited, but isn't that always the way of it when starting over?   God is opening doors I've been staring hard at even though I have no idea what is on the other side, and I'm way too stubborn not to walk through them.

So I am having an End of Year Clearance Sale on all OOAK jewelry and Julsbeads listed at StudioJuls.  EVERYTHING is 25% off, and I will be adding listings throughout the week.  The sale ends on 12/31 so that I can get everything shipped before I head to Oregon.

Yes.  I said Oregon.  Which sounds like a lovely word for a coupon code, so let's use it, k?

25% off every purchase

Coupon Code:  OREGON

Sale ends 12/31.

http://www.studiojuls.com/

Thank you for your love, friendship and support of my work this year.

I couldn't follow my heart without you.

~~

Imma just be over here doing NOT A DAMN THING.

I'm toast, y'all.   I feel incredibly good and have thoroughly enjoyed this past week of last minute Hurrahs, but I am stick a fork in me DONE.  For the rest of the weekend I am not going anywhere near anything that even jokes about pretending to be remotely related to something that resembles an impersonation of work.  Mama's about to get her chill on so she can relish the other important things in life.  Like family and friends and rest and Jesus Christ.

And presents. 

What?  Don't act like we haven't met. 

I had a custom order for 3 necklaces in the pink Beautiful Love combo this week, and I was so not paying attention the night I made them that I accidentally encased them with the wrong transparent.  At first I was all "@&*#!" but when I actually looked at the mistakes I realized how flippin' awesome the color is.  How awesome is the color you might ask? 

Firey Coppery Red Silver Flash awesome.

For the moment I am tucking those babies in at night with a bedtime story and a kiss, because the color I accidentally used to encase them was my last rod of the now unavailable Amber Rose.

I also used my last rod of Kalypso pink on those suckers, and NOW WHAT, JULS?  You can't do pink without pink!  I found myself  smack dab in the middle of a very sucky spot.

But improvisation?  She is my friend.  I'm pretty sure after this that I owe her lunch and an all expenses paid trip to wherever she wants to go.  Which means Tahiti, because if I'm footin' the bill that's where we are going.

After several very not right attempts, I finally mixed up some Clio and Dark Trans Lavendar and came up with these...oh so close to the target blend but oh so much better than the target blend in the department of GLOW.

Ska Wee to the Nth degree.

Here are the necklaces~which I truly wanted to keep 1 or 3 of:

Pam also purchased this cross and wanted a necklace for her Mother-in-law:

And part of me wanted to keep it also.

My life is a truly blessed one, my friends.  I pray the same for each of you every day.

Even though I said I was gonna, I don't have the energy to delete the $15 sets from Studiojuls right now.  If you wanna snag 1 I totally understand.  The remainder of the orders will be shipped next week, once I sober up from the intoxication of people being extra nice to one another.  I love me some Christmas.

To you and yours from me and mine~

~~

I was going to say I can't believe Christmas is in 3 days, but the state of my studio tells me it's true.

These are Christmas custom orders that flew out the door yesterday~

I still have several orders left to complete and bead sets to make, so I'll come back around when I'm too exhausted to do anything other than use my words.  See ya then!

~~

North is 90 miles Southeast of Due West

"But where are the black people?"



In case y'all  forgot~ I'm southern....and right now I'm sittin' here with tears rolling down my laughter cramped cheeks.

~~

Once around the Son ~ With Love

I don't think I've told y'all that I've had this dream for 6 or so years of opening a little gallery to be used as a Christian based teaching studio where artisans of different media could share their experience and gifts with others wanting to learn in a loving environment of fellowship.  It would be called Once around the Son, because I think that's the best way to spend this life on Earth.

So far it is still just a dream ~ a dream that inspires me in ways I could not fathom without it. 

My cross necklaces are named in honor of that inspiration~

Once around the Son~

Joy has set up camp in my heart

and my glass can't help but

reflect that in my

With Love

series.

Country at Heart~

Sweet Romance~

In Love Again~

Merry Christmas, y'all.

You make the whole world a brighter place,

and I'm blessed to have you in mine.

~Juls

I'll think of a Post Title later, k?

(By request to give a few people a little more time I am extending the deadline for purchasing the $15 sets at Studiojuls until next Friday, Dec 23rd at noon.  That's the latest I can leave the made to order sets available in order to create and ship them before I take a 2 week break in January.  Thanks for the great response, y'all~ I'm on top of the orders and all sets purchased so far will ship by mid week.)


~~

Do you know any bikers?  I'm talking the tatted out, Cut wearing, bandana and beard having badasses that drive around town on their loud motorcycles scaring small children and self righteous people (who ignorantly assume bikers are akin to gang members and thus a drug addicted, violent, wife beating menace to society).

Around these parts Bikers frequently hold something called a Poker Run...which is pretty much what it sounds like.  You pay an entry fee, ride from bar to bar and draw cards.  I'm sketchy on exactly how the game is played, but that isn't the point of this story so let's just pretend for now that you won.  Yay!

Poker Runs are fund raising events that have benefitted a myriad of people ~ sick children, Hospice, families left behind due to an untimely death...there are many reasons to hold one.  I've been to a couple and I'm not even sure I can express what a wonderful experience it is to share a day with so many generous and kind people.  When the speeches are made and thanks given, there isn't a dry eye in the house...and that includes the meanest looking dude in the bunch...because at the heart of the matter he too has a huge one.

There is a Poker Run tomorrow.  It is to benefit a family left behind when a beautiful light was extinguished in a car accident on Wednesday.   If you are the stereotyping type, you would have pegged Jamie as a biker right away.  Her arms were a canvas of ink, her chin pierced, her hair a different glorious color much of the time...but it was her smile that captured the most attention.  She was as genuine as they come and one of the nicest people I've ever had the pleasure to know.  

Jamie left behind a husband, 4 children, and the love and gratitude of the many people she has contributed to helping in her short 35 years.  It was with her in my heart that these necklaces were created to be donated as one of the raffles at her benefit tomorrow.

This photo of  her is my favorite of the hundreds people have shared on FB over the last few days.  Such a poignant and beautiful moment in a loving and meaningful life:

Ride with Angels, Jamie.

You've earned it.

~~

I think I'll stop making beads now.

At least in the form of  sets like these Made to Order beauties~

As of this Friday at Noon I will be permanently removing these and all of the $15 sets from the StudioJuls inventory.

If you want to take advantage while you still can, please note the sets will be made in order of purchase and it could take a little time to process yours.  I'll make you a deal though....I'll appreciate your patience so you can then appreciate all of the love and careful attention to detail that I put into every single bead I make. 

'Cause that's how Rockstars roll.

~~

I'm not quite ready to spill the beans yet, but the winds of change are blowin' and there are going to be some big ones.

To dispel any potential rumors.......these changes DO NOT INCLUDE any of the following:

~bank robbing (So I've considered it.  Hush.  I didn't actually do it.)
~death (knock on a wooden church pew)
~a sex change operation (HA~  made ya look!)
~Running for chieftain of an aboriginal tribe (although I do understand coors light laden southern click swahili...so I would totally qualify)
~ pregnancy
~marriage

See? Maybe I do have a little sense after all.

~~

Sometimes yelling GIMME THAT at the top of your lungs actually works.

Although it probably helps to have a good relationship with the person at whom you are screaming.  And to maybe not actually BE screaming.  But you get what I'm saying, right?  Good.  Could you explain it to me?

This came in the mail yesterday, and I'm glad I snapped some pictures right away because I have since licked all of the clear glass right off the top. 

It is impossible to capture the sparkle and depth and swirling colors of what is quite possibly my favorite cabochon ever.   (Please don't tell turquoise I said that.)

I really really reallyreallyreally love y'all, but you could yell GIMMETHAT 'til the cows come home and this baby still stays with me.    I'll give it a lick for ya though.

Do yourself a righteous and go take a peek at this crazy good stuff~

Brent Graber

Just don't tell him I sent ya, k?

~~

I really love this idea.

I started out creating these pairs as matching necklace and bracelet sets~

and then I thought they would also make very sweet mother/daughter sets, too.

You'll find them available at

StudioJuls

~~

Math is kind of Awesome.

Faith + Love

= Hope

~~

Friday Night Love

Ultra~Femme

 

The Blues

Sunset Last Night

For where I live the colors in the sunsets this week have been

so unusual and absolutely beautiful. 

This is an unedited pic I snapped with my phone yesterday.

Skills.

God's got 'em!

~~

New Hearts

I'm staring at this blank window in which to type words, but I find myself oddly at a loss today. 

Speechless: (n)  That thing that never happens in Julsland except when it does....and then it is usually because I have a large piece of chocolate shoved into my face making it impossible to speak. 

I'm off to find a large piece of chocolate to shove into my face before I sit here and exacerbate writer's block, k?

With Love ~

~~

With Love Necklaces

Pure Romance

Coos Bay

Sunset Beach

Heart of the Ocean

Available at

www.studiojuls.com

~~

I was going to show you some necklaces, but I was too busy napping today to take pictures.

I'll show you a friend's new baby instead:

Meet Miss Molly~

That football she's gnawing on is about 3" long.

Death. by. Adorable.

~~

I took this picture of the sunset tonight through the passenger window of my Jeep.

So Bluey Blue! 

And this one out of the driver's side window a moment earlier:

See the eye?

It was so cool to be looking at the sky while it was looking back.

~~

Why does Kitteh have Fat Face?

That is a baseball size swelling on the side of his face. 

It isn't a solid mass because it sort of jiggled when he sneezed.

Has anyone seen anything like this before?

Should I be freaking out like I already am?

I have a friend who has access to humane animal traps and since this one

(ironically enough I dubbed him "Face" from the get go because he has such a sweet one)

sneaks over to eat but won't let me get near him I don't know how else to catch him

for a vet trip.

Any ideas?

~~

I'm sorry if the pic upset you,

and I hope this next one makes up for it.

The gay couple is finally okay with me catching them cuddling

and it only took a year of me feeding and snuzzling them.

Baby Boy + I think his leg is broken

=

True Love

4 Ehva Ehva!

~~

Life is like a box of Hearts. You never know what kind of love you're gonna get. Unless you're getting it from me, in which case it is probably a little nutty.

It was 28 degrees when I took Chelsea out this morning.

In Alabama.

On December 1st.

That's the kind of thing that doesn't happen around here until mid January, and then it typically lasts for 5 minutes before Hell moves back in.  The weather these last couple of years makes me kind of wonder if there isn't a modicum of merit to that whole 2012 thing.

I think I'll work on some jewelry today because the shiny shack looks more like a frozen igloo, plus I have all these pretty hearts to play with and love makes the world a better place to be.  Even if it is a little crazy.


 
 
~~
 
 

New Special of the week~ plus other random tids and bits.

First I have tell y'all about a comment I received yesterday.    I seriously love you people.  I'm constantly surprised by the fact that you get me...and yet you keep coming back anyway.

"Whew, I thought a band of gypsies had kidnapped you. Of course, you probably would have loved that, wouldn't ya?"  ~ Ellen

I had never really considered it, but I gotta tell ya that is now going straight to the top of my Christmas wishlist.  Half because I want to be kidnapped by a band of gypsies and half BECAUSE I WANT TO BE KIDNAPPED BY A BAND OF GYPSIES.

~~

My cell phone died a couple of weeks ago.  And by died I mean I probably hit it with a hammer, because that is what 1 dead battery dropped call too many will do to a person who is on what she thinks is her death bed.   

It was time to upgrade anyway, mostly because I spend an equal amount of time away from my computer as I do on it these days.  What I didn't realize is that the procurement of a Smartphone would 1) make me feel like a complete dumbass and 2) intrude on interaction with people who are in the same room...nay, sitting on the same couch.

Thanksgiving day I found myself surrounded by family while biting my tongue to stop a barrage of profanity over those stupid stupid Angry Birds.  I decided to take a break from playing before my head exploded and when I looked around the room I realized every other person over the age of having been born was also typing away on his/her Android/Iphone.  I wanted desperately to record a video of such excellent quality time with loved ones, but if you'll see #1 above you will understand why instead of watching said video you are reading about it.

~~

This is an excerpt from an actual conversation I had over the weekend:

B:  I didn't realize what I didn't realize.

Me.  I realize that.

~~

(Try not to be jealous of the brilliance.)

~~

 Special of the Week over at StudioJuls

42 Pretties for $42!

~~

The Color Purple

is also available

HERE.

~~



Cyber Monday Sale!

Hey y'all.  One of these days I'm going to write a wicked long blog post about the last couple of weeks, and you are all going to nod and think "So that's why there's been no Julispeak!"   And then you're going to send me pie.  Not that I need any more pie....I just really like pie.    I'm guessing you still have some hanging around because unlike me you probably didn't shove a whole one into your face last Thursday.  

Today only ~ Hello Cyber Monday! ~ all lampwork at StudioJuls is 20% off.   

At check out, use Coupon Code  HAPPYHOLIDAYS.

My wish for you is that they are~ Happy and peaceful and full of all the right things to make your heart dance.

Thanks for hanging out with me again this year.  You make me smile from the inside out.

www.studiojuls.com

For those of you who didn't see this in 2010.

Yes. We Ought To.



Especially You.
~~

Custom Order Jewelry

~~

This made even my fever smile.

~~
LAUGHS! from Everynone on Vimeo.

See those packages resting on the corner of the table that need to be mailed? If yours happens to be one of them please bear with me for a few days while I'm over here trying not to die.

I spent a few nights with my Nana weekend before last because she was very very sick with some sort of something that hurt from the top of her head to her toes and made her chest feel like it was in a vise grip so badly that she ended up in the ER having all sorts of tests done on her heart.  (All turned out ok)

The third morning of my visit I woke up with a 75 lb head and the birth of achy pains.  That was last Tuesday.  For 8 days I've had first hand knowledge of what that chesty vise grip feels like.  Life is beautiful and all that jazz but right now I'd like to see a light at the end of the tunnel.  The sick tunnel, that is, not the life tunnel.

I've spent most the last week moving from bed to couch and back again, pausing when I could breathe for a few minutes to attempt something strenuous in hopes of breaking  my fever.  Yeah.  Don't do that, ok?

Bright side.  I got 1 of my Christmas trees put up yesterday working in 5 to 7 minute increments at a time.  Which means it only took 6 hours.

If you need me for anything I'll be on the couch staring at it through my eyelids between coughing fits during which I yearn to once again not sound like an 80 year old 2 pack a day lifelong smoker sitting in front of a slot machine in Vegas with a cigarette hanging out of her blood red lipstick slathered mouth.

Bling Bling, Baby.

~~

11-11-11

If it is okay with y'all, I'm going to cheat a little today and send you to my first Veteran's Day blog post.  I shared the way I feel about it the best way I know how to the first time, and today I'm likely to toss in something about the sick sickity sickness that I am experiencing this week.  Let's be honest ~ noone really wants to read about how when I sneeze stuff comes flying out of my nose.  That's just gross.

I kind of hate to follow that with this photo, because...well, you know...the color.  But I did make myself a bracelet the other day.  It matches one of my favorite sweaters...something else I probably shouldn't admit right now. 

Filters.  I seem to be missing a few.

~~